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On The Town

By MARY JANE PARK, Times Staff Writer
Published October 14, 2007

10.06.07

Swashbucklers drew their swords, but only in jest at PirateFest, the big fundraiser for Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg, held beneath a huge white tent at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort in St. Pete Beach.

Buffet stations offered an impressive array of food, and there was plenty of competition for auction items.

Presenters were Linda Marcelli, board chair; Keturah Mills, head of school; and Marcus Lockett, who graduated Academy Prep in 2001.

Major sponsors were the TradeWinds, Gulf Managements Systems, Synovus Bank, Langston and Carol Holland, Gordon and Gwen Johnson and Dean and Lynda Jollay.

The St. Petersburg school celebrated its 10th year in the spring. Officials said that of 100 students who have graduated, 95 still are in high school or college or have started careers.

10.10.07

Celma Mastry would have enjoyed the spectacular "Couture for a Cure II: An Evening with Neiman Marcus," held outdoors at the Fazal Fazlin estate to benefit the foundation that bears her name.

The elegant woman who was an indefatigable supporter of numerous charities died of ovarian cancer more than three years ago, but not before the foundation bearing her name was established to help prevent, detect and fight the disease and to further education about it.

Models from Neiman Marcus in Tampa strode a catwalk that stretched over the pool. Food station after food station offered tantalizing tastes from some of the area's best restaurants. Everywhere you looked, there were hints of teal, the color for the fight against ovarian cancer, even in signature beverages and floral decorations, lush orchids anchored in blue stones inside hurricane columns.

Carole Cowan and Alice Roess were co-chairs for the event committee, which included Pegge Barrier, Andrea Bender, Sue Brett, Sue Ann Corrigan, Julie DiOrio, Suzanne Fisher, Gail George-Coppens, Cheryl Guldenschuh Perry, Candy Scherer, Edie Spies and several generations of women in Mrs. Mastry's family: Claudette Carlan, Julie Janssen, Celmita Mastry, Denise Mastry and Melanie Mastry.

10.11.07

The St. Petersburg Free Clinic honored four volunteers at its annual Soup's On hunger awareness banquet at First Presbyterian Church in St. Petersburg.

More than 300 people attended the luncheon, where "Soup Can" Margin of Excellence awards went to Lydia Brown, who has helped coordinate church groups to prepare and serve Sunday evening hot meals at Beacon House, since 1995; Charlean and Jerry Schubert, who have organized CROP (Community Responding to Overcome Poverty) Walks since 1989; and Genavers "Hawk" Hawkins, recently retired Food Bank supervisor who worked 21 years for the Free Clinic.

"Hawk has said 'No problem' so often that he has forgotten to decide if there's a problem," awards presenter Mary Wyatt Allen said. "He always gets the job done."

State Rep. Bill Heller and Shara Anderson, regional director for U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, were speakers at the event, which focuses on feeding the hungry.

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A clarification: Nominees for the Queen's Court, which raises money for charities through its Queen of Hearts Ball, must be sponsored by guilds, auxiliaries or other support groups of nonprofit organizations. The group is now accepting nominations of outstanding female community volunteers. Resumes must be received by Jan. 15. For information, call 864-1338.

[Last modified October 14, 2007, 01:54:15]